V-block aligning attachment



Sept. 5, 1950 M. D. PATTERSON V-BLOCK ALIGNI'NG ATTACHMENT Filed April 19, 1948 fiersan MIL [m HH Patented Sept. 5, 1950 V-BLOCK ALIGNING ATTACHMENT Max 1). Patterson, Highmore, s. Dak. Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,895

2 Claims. (01. 113-99) This invention relates to welding clamps.

An object of this invention is to provide in a welding clamp embodying a pair of horseshoeshaped jaws, an attachment for one of the jaws whereby articles of different cross-sectional configuration can be gripped between the jaws-{ and firmly held so that the abutting ends of the airticles can be welded.

Another object of this invention is to pid i-ide an attachment in the form of a plate of horseshoe-shape having means extending from one side thereof for detachably securing the plate to a welding clamp jaw, and also having a pair of V-shaped jaws extending from the other side thereof which are adapted to confront the other jaw of the clamp.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind which includes means whereby the device may be securedonto the clamp without changing the clamp, the device being readily detachable so that the claim) may be used to hold flat, round. polygonal-or other shaped articles for welding.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawing and specification, and then more'particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partly-in section, of a welding clamp having an attachment mounted thereon constructed according. to an embodiment of my invention, j i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detailed front elevation ofv the attachment, and

Figure 4 is a detailed side elevation of the; device.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals l and II designate generally a pair of clamping jaws forming a conventional welding clamp. The jaw Ill is of U-shape in plan and at the forward end thereof the legs l2 of the jaw [0 are upturned at right angles, as indicated at [3. The jaw H is fixed to a bellcrank l4 pivotally secured as at I5 to a handle l6 extending from the rear of the jaw Ill.

The jaw II is U-shaped in plan and the forward end of the jaw II is downwardly offset as indicated at It and the forward ends l8 of the jaw H are adapted to overlie the upturned jaw members 13 of the jaw It.

In order to provide a means whereby round, polygonal or other shaped rods or members may be clamped between the jaws l0 and H, I have provided an attachment for the upper jaw II. This attachment comprises a U-shaped member l9 conforming substantially to the shape of the upper jaw II with the exception that the bight or rear portion 20 of the U-shaped member I9 is substantially wider than the bight portion of the U-shaped member ll. 7 The bight portion 20 is formed with a slot 2| within which a portion of the bellcrank I4 is adapted to loosely engage, and an upwardly bent lug 22 is carried by the bight portion 20 at the forward end of the slot 2i and is adapted to bear against the lower side of the bight portion 23 of the upper jaw II as shown in Figure 2 so as to maintain member l9 parallel with jaw II. The forward ends of the parallel legs of the U-shaped member [9 are formed with returned clamping members 24 adapted to engage over the flat portion it of the jaw H.

The attachment also includes a pair of upwardly bent and longitudinally curved resilient clamping fingers 25 extending from the forward edge of the bight 2D and the fingers 25 are adapted to engage over the bight 23 of the jaw I I. The parallel legs of the U-shaped member l9 also have fixed thereto V-shaped jaws 26 which are adapted to confront the jaw member I3. A round or other shaped rod 21 is adapted to engage the inside of the angles formed by the V- shaped jaws 26, as shown in Figure 2, so that when the handles it and 28 of the jaws l0 and H are pressed together, the work pieces 21 will be tightly gripped between the jaw members l3 and 26. It will, of course, be understood that there are two of these rods or work pieces 21 engaged with the device and the abutting ends of the rods or work pieces will be disposed between the parallel legs of the clamping jaws so that these abutting ends may be welded together.

The attachment hereinbefore described can be easily and quickly mounted on the upper jaw II by moving the attachment inwardly from the outer end of the jaw II with the lug 22 sliding beneath the jaw II and the resilient holding fingers 25 riding upwardly over the bight 23 of jaw H. When the lug 22 is at the rear portion of the bight 23 the resilient fingers 25 will snap the lug 22 upwardly and at this time the returned forward clamping members 24 will be engaged over the front or flat ends l8 of the jaw ll. With an attachment of this kind the conventional welding clamp which has been designed particularly for use in holding relatively flat work pieces in a position for welding adjacent edges thereof, can be used also for clamping rods or other like pieces together so that such pieces can be welded together at their abutting ends.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A detachable jaw for a weldingclainp having a pair of U-shaped clamping jaws, said detachable jaw comprising a U-shaped plate, returned clamping members carried by the outer ends of ing slot formed by striking out said lug being the legs of said plate engageable over the "outer ends of the legs of one of said pair of clamping jaws, a pair of resilient fingers extending from the bight of said plate and engageable over the the bight portion of said plate and engageabl'e under the bight of said one clamping jaw, and a pair of V-slia-iod jaws fiXd to the legs of *Safil plate and adapted to corif'ififit the outer ends 5f the legs of said other clamping jaw.

2. In a, welding 615-1111) including a pair (if U- shaped clamping jaws; one "of 'said clamping jaws being formed with the outer ends thereof offset iii the direction of the other of Saidlttfilpin'g jaws, and a bell crank having one arm thereof extending over and "secured to the *b'ight of said one clamping jaw and the other arm p'ivotallir nnected to Said Ofihr clai-iniiifi gljawj a detach able jaw comprising a u-shapeu plate adapted to underlie 'aid (file clamping aw, reverted thembers carried by the outer ends of the legs of said plate adapted to overlie said offset outer ends of said one clamping jaw, a pair of spaced apart resilient fingers carried by the inside of the bight portion of said plate and adapted to resiliently engage over the bight of said one clamping jaw on opposite sides of said one arm of said bell crank for urging said plate and said one clamping jaw together, a struck out lug on the outer edge of said plate bight portion adapted to engage against the underside of said one clamping jaw for spacing said one clamping jaw and said plate bight portions apart, the outwardly opena pair of V-s'haped transversely extending jaws securedto the legs of said plate and adapted to confront the outer ends of said other clamping jaw.

MAX D. PATTERSON. REFERENCES GITED he following references are of record the file of-this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,781,419 Wallace Nov. 11, 1930 51,900,314 Strum Mar. 1 933 OTHER REFERENCES Mag, Amer. Mach, May 11, 1944.

Mag. Amer. :Macn, Feb. 15, 1945. 

